What's In My Name?

It's the nickname game. I've been called by different nicknames, depending on how we're related or who you are. Try to find where you belong. Here are a few:

Martin - This is my real name, for crying out loud. You are probably an acquaintance, or a friend who just wants to stick with calling me this.

Mart - You are my kabarkada, probably Marjoe, PJ, or Joe.

Marts - You are my kabarkada who is trying to sound cute. Haha kidding. You're a cousin or a friend from Bacolod.

Kid - You are PJ or Marjoe.

Tintin - You are Ma'am No when I tried to think of a cute nickname in 2nd year college. Or you're Cris Silva who simply stuck with calling me this.

Aaron - You are a classmate from first year or second year high school who remembers me as a kid with long hair back in the days when that Carter brother happened to start singing.

Martintong / Tongtong - You are an aunt or uncle. I got this nickname from being totally amazed with the song about the crab which goes "tong tong tong pakitong kitong" when I was a baby.

Mardehn - Unbelievable how I got this nickname in my college freshman year. I was buying Zagu, and when asked for my name, guess what the tindera wrote on my cup. By calling me this, you are either PJ, Rica, Laica, Joe Fajarillo, or jk pag nanlalambing.

'Noy / Nonoy - Nickname called for "little boy" in Ilonggo. You are my mom or dad.

"Marteeen!" - Yes, with the prolonged "e". You are my mom ready to ask me to run an errand.

Duck - As in pan-Duck. You are jk.

Marvin - You're deaf man.

Tonight I Can Write

I missed my blog. I even posted something on my chatterbox to prevent it from expiring. Does anyone even read my blog still? Bahala na. I'll just go on writing...because tonight I can. :D

In a few days, I'll be done with college. I just have to submit the hard-bound copies of my revised thesis, some kind of promo poster, and get clearance from different laboratories and offices. In a couple of weeks, I'm supposed to have no official business in Ateneo.

I can't believe it. I'm leaving the school that I've spent five years in. Five gruelling years. Ten semesters. Four summers. Countless overnights. I'm surely gonna miss Ateneo. I'm currently going through what I would like to call the "super senior's syndrome". This one is different from the popular senior's syndrome in that the super senior finds more meaning. The departing senior experiences nostalgic sentiments for fellow the fellow seniors he will not be seeing anymore; the departing super senior experienced that last year. This time, he has been given one full year to appreciate the splendor of the university...alone. He observed many fellow students and criticized them for taking many of their youth's benefits for granted. He found meaning in interacting with the security guards, janitors, cashiers, and other school personnel. He probably has made use of most of the school's facilities. He has criticized issues regarding the university with more maturity. He has reminisced his freshman and sophomore days more than ever. Over the past year, the super senior has developed more love for the school! (Shit what's with the third person discourse! Philosophy has kicked in! Haha!)

Many of you are still probably not convinced how different the senior is from the super senior. But different or not, both seniors and super seniors will find it hard to part ways with Ateneo. After all, Ateneo is one exceptional school.

(P.S. I've spent 5 years here already, but I'm still not going to call it The Ateneo.)